Infrared heat has been widely adapted over forced air heat in the environment of a poultry house 40 primarily because radiant heat more efficiently provides heat directly to the floor 45 without the need to heat the entire air space enclosed by the walls 47 and the ceiling (not shown) of the poultry house 40. In the past, radiant heat has been provided in poultry houses 40 utilizing propane or natural gas-fired heaters in:
(a) a circular shape with a ceramic disc to create a small percentage of its input as infrared heat (commonly referred to as a “pancake brooder” 50);
(b) a circular shaped perforated emitter (commonly referred to as a “radiant brooder” 55);
(c) a rectangular shaped heater with a relatively open design (commonly referred to as a “ceramic brooder” 60), of the type manufactured by SBM International, which is positioned at an angle in order to direct heat angularly downwardly toward the floor 45; or
(d) in the shape of a long tubular pipe (commonly referred to as a “tube heater” 65).
One disadvantage associated with these different types of radiant heaters 50, 55, 60, 65 is the production of heat patterns that create large hot areas 70 and large first and second cold areas 75, 80 of the floor 45. Birds in a poultry house 40 during the brood time perform best within a fifteen (15) degree temperature spread (“the comfort zone” 85) on the floor 45. The comfort zone 85 is typically between approximately eighty-five and one hundred degrees (85°-100°) Fahrenheit. The hot areas 70 are typically those areas above approximately one-hundred degrees (100°) Fahrenheit. The first cold areas 75 are typically those areas between approximately eighty and eighty-five degrees (80°-85°) Fahrenheit. The second cold areas 80 are typically those areas below approximately eighty degrees (80°) Fahrenheit. The greater percentage of infrared heat output that is put on the floor 45 within the comfort zone 85, the more efficient the heater is. FIG. 1 generally illustrates the temperature spread on the floor 45 between the walls 47 associated with both a pancake brooder 50 (shown on left-hand side) and a radiant brooder 55 (shown on the right-hand side); it is to be understood that the heaters 50, 55 are positioned at a predetermined position above the floor 45. FIG. 2 generally illustrates the temperature spread on the floor 45 between the walls 47 associated with a ceramic brooder 60 (shown on the left-hand side) and with a tube heater 65 (shown on the right-hand side); it is to be understood that the heaters 60, 65 are positioned at a predetermined position above the floor 45.
Thus, there is a need for a heater for use in a poultry house 40 which reduces the hot and cold areas 70, 75, 80 on the floor 45 of the poultry house 40, and thus increases the size of the comfort zone 85 on the floor 45 of the poultry house 40.